Chapter 88: Boundary Line

Chapter 88: Boundary Line

Shu Fu slapped the table and stood up abruptly, startling the other four, who were eating fruit.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you okay?"

In that instant, Shu Fu's mind was racing, and the more she thought about it, the more likely her guess seemed. Otherwise, why would the prize be called a "raft towing spot" and not a "boat towing spot"?

And the function that appears at level 5 of the raft shouldn't just be for towing; it's very likely that the shield can also be shared!

Although this guess would only be confirmed when the raft was upgraded to level 5, at that moment, she felt like she had found another piece of the puzzle to understanding the world’s truth.

She had Lu Ce to thank for this realization. So, Shu Fu naturally walked over to Lu Ce's side, placed a matcha layer cake in front of him, and seriously praised him, "Having wishes is a good thing and deserves a reward."

Lu Ce: ??

Apart from Chen Fa, Lu Zheng, and their group of four, the others had been staying at the repaired cabin on the slopes of the hills by the lake. They couldn’t even enter Chen Fa and Lu Zheng's cabin and couldn’t do much when they came over.

However, they had also received points and ample supplies in exchange for the two bottles of red liquid that Chen Fa and Lu Zheng had handed in, and were grateful for it. They didn’t harbor any resentment or jealousy because Shu Fu, Lu Ce, and Chen Fa were closer.

As Xu Tingfeng had privately mentioned to the others, special people are as rare as winning the lottery. It was normal for ordinary people not to encounter them. And now, this person holding the "hundred million prize" was willing to lead them through this chaotic world, which in itself was a kind of luck.

Fixating on things that didn’t belong to them and harboring greed could very well lead to misfortune, causing them to lose even what they currently had.

This truth, even if Xu Tingfeng didn’t say it, the other five understood. But he still wanted to say it out loud. Because now was different from before. In the past, none of them had witnessed how the raft appeared. There were suspicions but no certainty, like with Xiao Xiao and Gangzi, who had left and had nothing to say even if they wanted to.

But when they settled by the lake and saw Shu Fu retrieve two vehicles and Chen Fa and Lu Zheng summon a raft out of nowhere, they gradually began to see the truth of the anomaly.

That’s why Xu Tingfeng made his stance clear, indicating that if anyone leaked even the slightest secret or harbored improper thoughts about their companions or the team leader, he wouldn’t let them off.

Yes, their group of ten had re-elected a captain and a vice-captain.

The captain was Chen Fa, and the vice-captain was Lu Zheng, unanimously voted by all.

**

August 20th was Chen Fa's birthday, and Shu Fu's birthday was on August 23rd, just three days apart.

On the afternoon of the 19th, when the rain had stopped, Shu Fu sent Lu Ce to the cabin on the slopes to find Xu Tingfeng and the others, asking them to come over in the afternoon for a meal, to start early and eat early. Lu Ce put on his rain boots, ran down the raft, and soon reached the slopes.

It had been raining continuously for ten days, with hailstorms occurring several times, and the water level of the lake had gradually risen. Now, the shore where the raft was docked was getting closer to the cabin on the slopes.

The previous night, Shu Fu had talked to Chen Fa and Lu Zheng, mainly urging them to head south and not stay here any longer. The rising water levels of the Qinghe River were a concern. Once the water level difference on both sides of the dam outside You City disappeared, the Hexi Town's strange fish could appear at any time.

The area north of the city was also a time bomb. If that perverted organization decided one day that they no longer wanted to experiment on the scale-disease patients, they might cross the river directly from the bridge. When they left the military refuge, they brought several radios, one of which was given to Shu Fu. This radio was mainly used to listen to announcements from the military refuge.

Of course, they could also receive messages from other official or military sources as long as the signal was within range.

There was a tower in the shelter with a searchlight, manned 24 hours a day. If the northern organization forces or the scale-disease patients crossed the river and arrived nearby, they would issue a warning.

There had been no abnormalities so far, but who could predict the future?

They had stayed with her for so long, which was enough. Now it was time to leave.

So, this meal was not only to celebrate the birthdays of two people but also a farewell banquet Shu Fu gave them. Of course, when she asked Lu Ce to call everyone over for the meal, she didn’t mention the birthday, only the farewell gathering.

She had Chen Fa and Lu Zheng adjust the angle of the rafts, head to head, arranging them horizontally along the shore in a straight line, with the cabin on both sides. The larger deck at the front of her raft connected to this platform.

This way, when Xu Tingfeng and the others came over, even if they couldn’t enter the cabin, there would be enough space to enjoy this lakeside raft barbecue.

Of course, if they are interested, they can also go up to her raft to the second-floor terrace and take in the view of the front lake.

They had been here for so long but hadn’t come over to "crash" a meal even once, maintaining an excellent sense of boundaries, which Shu Fu found quite admirable. So, this meal was also meant to fulfill the wish they had that night when they were star-gazing.

This time, she didn’t bring out the kerosene grill or the portable gas grill. Those were too small for so many people to cook on. Instead, she took out the large rectangular standing charcoal grill that she had used at the cave restaurant, along with plenty of charcoal and the iron grates that could be placed on top.

When Xu Tingfeng and the others arrived, the charcoal in the grill on the connected raft decks had already been lit. Next to it were three camping tables arranged in a line, along with different styles of camping chairs. They could sit or stand as they pleased.

On the camping tables were ready-to-eat skewers in foil boxes. The skewers were already cooked and looked like they had just been grilled. Although the cold wind had cooled them a bit, a quick reheat over the charcoal would make them ready to eat.

There were pork cartilage, chicken feet, sliced eggplant, enoki mushrooms, lamb skewers, squid tentacles, chicken wings, pork fat, sliced potatoes, grilled steamed buns… the variety was already quite comprehensive.

Next to it was a large rectangular iron tray, placed on an iron rack with two small alcohol burners underneath. The fire was turned low mainly to keep it warm because the fish in the tray was already cooked.

There were two bass fish in the tray, both caught by Lu Zheng in the lake. He cleaned, prepared, and fried them before placing them in the iron tray, adding prepared sauce and side dishes to make an iron plate grilled fish.

Next to the Sichuan cuisine were over a dozen different varieties of dishes packed in large takeout boxes, both meat and vegetarian, all finished dishes that Xu Tingfeng and the others hadn’t eaten in a long time. There were also more than ten boxes of cooked rice, all still warm.

Shu Fu remembered Xu Tingfeng’s wish that day and, seeing him looking at the Sichuan dishes, said, “There’s no hot pot, but there’s Maoxuewang, golden needle beef pot, and boiling meat slices. It should be somewhat similar.”

Xu Tingfeng clearly didn’t expect her to remember his casual remark. He looked up at her and sincerely said, “Thank you.”

Although they didn’t know about Shu Fu and Chen Fa’s birthdays, when visiting someone else’s "home," it was customary not to come empty-handed. So, they each brought small gifts. Now, unlike before, when supplies were abundant, the gifts were simple things like a brand-new foldable water cup, a nice pen, some canned drinks, an unopened set of kitchen knives… although simple, they were all carefully selected and quite practical.

Shu Fu accepted each gift and thanked them, planning to leave everything for Chen Fa to use.

Next to the Sichuan dishes was a large pot of vegetable egg soup. Xu Tingfeng and the others also had these vegetables—though they were dehydrated—eggs were something they hadn’t seen in a while. Because they were fragile, they weren’t included in the airdropped supplies, and they couldn’t trade for them either.

Next to the soup pot were disposable bowls, chopsticks, napkins, and some canned drinks.

To Shu Fu, these things really weren’t much. After all, just one Sichuan Cuisine Package contained over thirty different dishes; there wasn’t even half of that here.

As for the barbecue, she hadn’t even touched her barbecue package. These were just part of the grilled skewers she had stocked up in Louyun City. Since they were all ready-to-eat, it was more convenient to eat, and compared to grilled meat, these were authentic grilled skewers, which felt more satisfying to hold and eat.

She actually wanted to bring out some desserts and fruits, but, firstly, there was no more space on the table, and secondly, Chen Fa and Lu Zheng had timely held her hand, indicating that it was enough.

It truly was enough. The process of this meal was more important than the meal itself.

For them, it was a rare peaceful afternoon without rain, free from the threat of Hexi Town’s strange fish and fish-scale patients. In this beautiful mountain lake setting, all the team members were together, gathered around the grill, cooking skewers, laughing and chatting, clinking their drinks… all of it felt like a long-awaited dream come true.

In the evening, as the dark clouds near the surrounding peaks of the lake gradually dispersed, the sunlight that had been missing for a while broke through the gaps in the clouds. The once dark lake surface slowly turned into a deep ink blue, and the snow on the distant mountain peaks was covered in a golden light, the lingering glow of the sunset after a long absence.

"We are really lucky!" Lu Ce, standing on the deck of the Drift Island House, looked at the sunset in the distance and sighed. Although during their time by the lake, his brother had already worked with Xu Tingfeng and the others to build the roofed terrace on his and Chen Fa’s raft house, he still preferred to come to Shu Fu’s terrace.

Mainly because their deck’s railings, pillars, and roof were made from furniture and bed boards from two other uninhabited houses on the hillside by the shore. The colors didn’t match, and it was uneven and mismatched.

However, inside the house, his brother and Chen Fa had installed wooden partitions and door curtains, dividing the space into a living room and bedroom, which he was quite satisfied with.

"Yes, we are really lucky..." Lu Zheng, standing next to him, turned his head to look at Shu Fu on the other side. Today, she was wearing a cozy home robe that was long, the hem covering her ankles. The collar was a cartoonish large hood with ear-shaped designs.

Perhaps because she was a bit cold, she had pulled up the hood, the long fluffy ears naturally hanging on both sides of the hood. Her hands were in the pockets, with only her fair face exposed. From the side, her lashes were thick and long, her lips red and lush, giving off an adorable charm.

This rare and extreme contrast made him unable to look away.

They had already decided yesterday that as long as the weather wasn’t extremely bad the day after the farewell banquet, they would leave.

But he really didn’t want to go. After they left, she would be the only one left here. Although he understood that she was different from them and had essential things to do, in this post-apocalyptic world, without companions, walking alone, how lonely would it be?

Shu Fu probably sensed his gaze, looked back at him, and smiled, “After tomorrow, everything needs to be cautious. In this world now, places without people aren’t scary; places with people are.”

He found it hard to muster a smile. He was reminded of the time they said their goodbyes at the Sui City library. Thinking back, it must have been the same situation back then. She must have known she'd be left alone in the storm-ravaged city, with no one to help her.

How did she manage to smile and say goodbye back then?

Had she been alone in the quiet, empty Sui City during the time she lost contact?

Louyun City must have been the same situation, even now. Even though she was stuck there, she was still comforting him before he left for safety.

Various emotions surged within Lu Zheng. Some of these emotions stemmed from another world. He reached out to touch her face, but his hand ended up resting on her head.

He rubbed her hat and pinched the fluffy ear with his fingertips, feeling a somewhat heart-palpitating sensation.

Suddenly, more memories flashed through his mind.

On the award podium, she wore a black evening gown and held a trophy in her hand. She was smiling as she delivered her thank-you speech. It seemed she had won an award. What award? She was saying, "The second season's script is already in preparation. I hope everything goes smoothly..." What second season?

The scene shifted, and he found himself standing in front of a large TV screen. Many people around him had stopped in their tracks because of the disaster footage on the screen... His first reaction had been fear... It seemed like a catastrophic disaster. What disaster? Why did it give him a sense of familiarity and terror?

...

Apart from these two relatively clear memory fragments, the others were more chaotic, like a shaky camera lens. He couldn't clearly see the images. As he tried to focus, he suddenly felt a tremendous dizziness...

Was it just an illusion?

"Lu Zheng!" A worried shout from Shu Fu jolted him back to reality. He only realized he had fainted when he felt the impact of his head against the ground.

**

A little later, he woke up on the floor mattress inside the raft cabin. Shu Fu and Chen Fa were sitting on chairs beside him, and Lu Ce and Chen Yuezheng were there too. Outside the lattice window, it seemed to have turned dark.

"How long was I out?" He slowly sat up, supporting himself on the mattress.

"About two hours," Shu Fu answered.

"What about the others?" He was asking about Xu Tingfeng and the others.

Chen Fa spoke up: "They were finishing their meal when you passed out. Since they couldn't enter the cabin, they cleaned up the dishes and trash and went back to pack their belongings."

"Are you okay? What happened just now?" Shu Fu asked. She had seen him faint and felt it had been very sudden.

Her questions brought those fragmented memories rushing back. He subconsciously felt that these memory fragments contained very important information, but Chen Yuezheng and Lu Ce were still here.

They were likely not people from that other world, commonly referred to as "locals" or "NPCs." Despite his confusion, he knew he couldn't tell them about the other world.

Chen Fa picked up on the signal in Lu Zheng's eyes and discreetly asked Chen Yuezheng to go rest first. Since they were leaving tomorrow, things placed in the raft cabin needed to be organized into backpacks as the raft couldn't be deployed at any time.

As for Lu Ce, she was instructed to go help out.

Before leaving, Chen Yuezheng reminded Chen Fa to make sure Lu Zheng got enough rest, and then she took Lu Ce out of the cabin.

Once the door was closed again, Lu Zheng lowered his voice and quickly spoke, sticking to the key points: "I saw you receiving an award and giving a speech. You mentioned you were already preparing the script for the second season..."

"What?" Shu Fu was stunned.

"Also, it seems there was a major disaster somewhere, and many people died... I saw the news footage of the disaster on the TV screen, but it felt eerily familiar... terrifying..."

Shu Fu couldn't really understand what he was saying, as she had no memory of these events. But looking at his expression, she could sense the fear and horror he had experienced.

"Major disaster?" Chen Fa suddenly interjected, "Was it a mountain flood? Or the massive tsunamis in Turtle Country, where half the land was submerged?"

"The disaster news I saw was a major mountain flood. Did you see that too?"

"Yeah, it only appeared in the news these past two days. It was on the news, repeated several times, so it's relatively clear in my memory. The major mountain flood happened in Country H, an entire town was wiped out, and tsunamis submerged half of Turtle Country's land," Chen Fa thought for a moment and continued, "But I didn’t get any sense of déjà vu from it. They’re just news clips; they don’t provide any real information. Sure, those disasters were serious, but they didn’t happen in our country, so why are you afraid?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I've seen it before, and it gives me this weird, unsettling feeling..." However, what it was similar to, the cause of his fear, he still couldn't remember.

Chen Fa nodded. Memory fragments were random. In fact, this was the first time their memory fragments had lined up.

She thought about it and turned to check on Shu Fu, to see if she remembered anything about those memory fragments. But when she turned around, she saw Shu Fu’s face looking unusually grim.

"What's wrong?"

"None of that actually happened."

"What?" Chen Fa didn't understand.

"What you both mentioned, about Turtle Country losing half of its land, and me winning an award... none of those events ever took place in my recollection."